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How to Get a Player’s Autograph

autograph

It’s not as easy to get an autograph in person as it was when your dad was your age.

Professional athletes today tend to keep their distance, and some will sign autographs only for money. Still, there is a way to get autographs both from current players and from players who have been retired for years: the U.S. mail.

Think you know the rules of baseball? Make the call in our quiz.

Here’s How:

• Go through your sports trading cards and identify a player you would like to ask for an autograph. It’s probably best to start with less well-known players, because they’re less likely to receive as many requests.

• Write a polite, friendly letter asking the player to autograph your card. Remember that athletes, like all celebrities, receive many requests from fans. Writing a thoughtful letter is key.

• If the player is still active, simply mail him your request in care of his team. Addresses for all Major League teams can be found at mlb.com. For retired players, most libraries will have a book or two containing player addresses. Try Jack Smalling’s “The Baseball Autograph Collector’s Handbook,” available in some libraries or at baseballaddresses.com. This book, updated periodically, contains more than 11,000 addresses of players, coaches and umpires.

• Once you have a player’s address, mail the letter and the card with a self-addressed stamped envelope, and be patient. It can sometimes take months to receive a reply. Good idea: Send only cards of which you have duplicates. Some players won’t respond, and you’ll never see the card again.

• When you do get a signed card back, be sure to send a thank you note.

Laugh your way to the ballpark with these baseball jokes

What Autographs Do You Have?

Tell us which autographs you’ve collected and how you got them in the comments field below.

51 Comments on How to Get a Player’s Autograph

  1. I want an autograph from Tom Brady

  2. none of Ur Buisness // July 23, 2009 at 2:26 pm // Reply

    I hgot David wrights because my freinds dad is personal freinds with him

  3. mickeymouse // July 20, 2009 at 3:27 pm // Reply

    i want my scott sanderson signed

  4. mickeymouse // July 20, 2009 at 2:08 pm // Reply

    i just finished sorting about 400000 cards by sport with probably 6000000000 to go.i really want my kevin garnett signed.i also want an old babe ruth card to collect.

  5. one time i mailed a 8 by 10 to jason terry of the dallas mavs!!! (GO MAVS!!!) and he sent it back signed in like 5 months. i forgot to write a thanks card though 🙁

  6. hockey fan! // June 29, 2009 at 3:27 pm // Reply

    I have a mike modona signed card (for the dallas stars),nickals backstorm signed on a stick(for the minnesota wild),mark parissh signed on a stick ( for the minnesota wild),brent burins signed on a puck (for the minnesota wild),josh harding signedon a puck(for the minnesota wild)and mikou kiovu on a stick (for the minnesota wild) PLUSE MORE!!!!!!!!

  7. I want one from bary bonds

  8. What do you think would happen if you sent a card of their old team would they reply?

  9. i love baseball.i wish i got a autoghaph.

  10. nathanator // March 25, 2009 at 4:04 pm // Reply

    I want a autograph from Adrian Peterson he’s the bomb

  11. king james // March 23, 2009 at 6:05 pm // Reply

    i want a autograph from lebron james

  12. baseball man // March 23, 2009 at 1:43 pm // Reply

    i have bj upton

  13. I’ve gave Brooke Bennit a high five i did not get a autograph but who care’s :]

  14. cool 🙂

  15. beaster456 // March 21, 2009 at 8:11 pm // Reply

    i have a skip shumaker from the Cardinals

  16. theelsfan09 // March 19, 2009 at 6:32 pm // Reply

    I have a sean may autograph

  17. I got a basketball signed by lots of the Harlem Globetrotters when my pack went to their game!

  18. louisville ky // February 14, 2009 at 7:55 pm // Reply

    I have an autographed ball signed by Pee Wee Reese

  19. I also have a signed ball of the 2005 NCAA champions

  20. I am a huge Carolina basketball fan so I have The entire 2009 mens basketball team’s autographs on a poster. I also have a phil ford signed picture and a Sports Illustrated Signed by Tyler hansbrough

  21. I mailed David Carr before this and i got mail from him on a day i was sick and it said thanks for your letter in it was a card with his AUTOGRAPH thanks for posting this tough i did it before like 3-4 years ago

  22. the nickster // January 27, 2009 at 8:08 pm // Reply

    YO! I AM AWESOME! I GOT MIKEY PILAGANOS AUTOGRAPH!

    THANKS!

  23. does anyone do autograph requests by mail?

  24. I really want some

  25. Penn State Luver // December 18, 2008 at 2:15 pm // Reply

    I got Derrick Williams autograph

  26. I have the red birds mascots autograph, and bo harps, brett farve, eli manning, paten manning

    How did you get michel phelep’s autograph

  27. I have Michal Phelps!

  28. i have a roger clemens, barry bonds, and kirby puckett card

  29. iowa sweet i want brett farve // July 14, 2008 at 6:44 pm // Reply

    hi mom

  30. i have a b.j. upton game used bat.

  31. I HAVE EVERY TWINS PLAYER EXCEPT MIKE LAMB.

  32. I LIKE BASEBALL

  33. A BEAST(GO METS) // June 28, 2008 at 10:22 am // Reply

    I HAVE SIGNATURES OF JOHAN SANTANA, DAVID WRIGHT, OLIVER PEREZ, LUIS CASTILLO, AND LAST YEAR I GOT CARLOS GOMEZ, AND TOM GLAVINE. DOES ANYONE HAVE CARLOS BELTRAN AND JOSE REYES?????

  34. marinerfreak101 // June 19, 2008 at 5:02 pm // Reply

    i just got a nolan ryan / barry bonds jersey card 1/1 thats worth $56,489

  35. i have a Mike Bibby Autographed card along with an 8 x 10 signed by Jamal Crawford of the NY Knicks.

  36. i have 166 babe ruth baseball cards (8 signed) 1 barry bond signed 5 david wright (1 signed) a all team signed baseball mets team and 3 baseball jerseys and 10,000 baseball cards about 1,000 are atograghed!!!!!!!!!

  37. BuffBisionsfan // April 1, 2008 at 5:41 pm // Reply

    I have a bat and a baseball signed by all the buffalo bisons. It is so cool

  38. I like baseball.

  39. NewBoyScout143 // February 16, 2008 at 11:57 am // Reply

    I Have Iowa State Autographs

  40. Soulja Boy 24/7 // February 13, 2008 at 5:21 pm // Reply

    Since spring trainning is comming. This is the best time to try to get rokies.

    Good players don’t sign.

  41. mariner1freak101 // February 4, 2008 at 5:58 pm // Reply

    i hav 20,000 cards and 40 autographd baseballs and 1,000 jersey and autographed cards ive ben collectin card since i was 7

  42. marinerfreak101 // February 4, 2008 at 5:51 pm // Reply

    i have a babe ruth autograph bat jersy pant 1 of 1 card beat that

  43. marinerfreak101 // February 4, 2008 at 5:16 pm // Reply

    I have a Barry Bonds autograph

  44. I have Aaron Harang’s (of the Cincinatti Reds) autograph. I got it for joining the Reds Heads kids club (Yes, I am a kid). It is for people 14 and under.

  45. DallasTexas41 // October 21, 2007 at 6:41 pm // Reply

    I have the signatures of former Texas Rangers baseball players Chris Young and Rafael Palmerio. I also have 2 other Rangers atuographs but I cant recognize them

  46. I really want to get Travis Hafner’s autograph. One time I went to a kent state baseball game. I wish I had 100 baseball cards. My favorite player is Travis Hafner.

    I have Barry Bonds. I only have 2006 baseball cards.

  47. 😎 🙂 😛 😉 😀 😮

  48. clearwater fl // August 16, 2007 at 5:57 am // Reply

    i have a tampa bay lighting uniform signed from when they won the stanly cup

  49. I have 70 hockey autograph’s.

  50. Derrick, Age 10, Florida // August 2, 2007 at 9:52 am // Reply

    I don’t have any autographs yet, but really want to do that, because I have at least 100 baseball cards and pictures of famous basketball and hockey players plastered all over my room. I have a lot of collage athlete’s autograhs, because my Dad works at a university in Florida. Pro athlete’s signatures are way harder to get, but if I could choose one, I would want best hockey player of all time, Wayne Gretskys. (Not sure if I’m spelling that right!?) He’s coaching in the pros leauge right now, but not playing anymore. I don’t have any adresses, but you can google “____ adresses, you fill in the blank with the ones you want, such as NBA (National Basketball Assoceation) NFL (National Football Leauge) or NHL (National Hockey Leauge). Also, if you want to get more specific, you can type in the name of a team or player such as: Red Sox Player Adresses, or Daniel Ernhardt Jr. adress. Thanks for the idea. 🙂 😉 🙂 😉 🙂 😉 🙂 😉

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